Kiss Guitarist Tommy Thayer Shares His Funniest Stage Mishaps

Tommy Thayer may fill Ace Frehley's platform boots in Kiss, but he's found out first-hand those boots aren't necessarily made for walking.

The guitarist took over Frehley's instrumental duties and "Spaceman" makeup in 2003 and has performed with the group all over the world. In a new interview with CBS Local in Sacramento, he says Kiss' elaborate stage show isn't always as seemless as it appears, as he and Gene Simmons found out at one concert when their hydraulic lift malfunctioned. "We go up about 40 feet in the air, you know, the grand finale," Thayer relates. "One day, I don't know where we were, but this lift kinda started going off sideways. Somehow it got messed up, and it went up and almost fell over. It was terrifying!"

Thayer also admits the seven-inch platform boots can be problematic. "I'm 6'2" to begin with, so with those things on it's 6'8" or 6'9". It's like you're huge!" he say with a laugh. "I've stumbled a few times. We all have. It's kinda part of the job, 'cause you're running around like a maniac on stage and you trip or do something funny, and people say, 'Oh geez, did you see that?' You know, you act like it's part of the show."

Thayer and his Kiss band mates will have plenty of opportunities to stumble around in public this summer. They kicked off a tour with Motley Crue in Virginia on July 20. The trek will wrap up in Hartford, Conn. on Sept. 23.